Extendable pouch

ABSTRACT

The current invention is intended to help emergency personnel who otherwise would lose precious time needed for reaction to crisis events. 
     By making all information that is being outputted by a radiation detector, or other small equipment device, immediately accessible and secure, as well as convenient to use, this extendable pouch gives an edge to security and other emergency personnel so that they can act quickly to avert a crisis or secure others. 
     Other embodiments or modifications include non-elastic sides, tethering of the pouch to user&#39;s belt, a web belt with a pouch sewn as an integrated piece, one vinyl window, or open windows and may be imagined for other small device use for security or otherwise. Embodiments may include use for a warning device for sight-impaired persons, with readings felt as well as partially seen. Other embodiments might also be imagined by one schooled in the art.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Cross-related applications: PPA U.S. 60/861,142 was filed on Nov. 27, 2006, a Design Patent Application has been filed on Nov. 13, 2007, and the Assignment has been recorded.

This invention of an extendable pouch was designed to be used by people who are mobile by foot and need immediate, quick access to the information supplied by a small equipment device such as a radiation detector. The ability to receive immediate alert notification, access to readings, security, and use while the pouch stays attached directly to the user, are intended to help police, security personnel, fire crews, and other emergency sentinels.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

This invention did not have federally sponsored research and design.

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING APPENDIX

There are none.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention was conceived for the quick, convenient, and secure use of small device radiation detection equipment by emergency, police, fire, and security personnel, so that they can have the time-critical important information they need immediately accessible and secure.

There are a myriad of belt pouches, all intended for customer ease by allowing carrying hands-free on the user's belt. These pouches generally have a space that the user's belt rides through in some manner: Generally the belt goes through a cloth or web material loop on the pouch, a loop made by a sewn passage, a snapped passage, or a hook-and-loop passage. These common pouches work by allowing quick reach and removal of the piece of equipment, such as a cell phone or a small medical device. Examples of such pouches are the Tough Traveler® Belt Pouch, the Tough Traveler® Medi-Pouch, and the Tough Traveler® Epi-Pouch.

Some pouches themselves are easily reached and removable. The Bianchi AccuMold 7315 Pager Pouch, the Bianchi AccuMold ARS Radio Holster Swivel, the Samsung T300/Q105 Tilt Up Holster, and the Holster U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,751 are examples of pouches that have plastic clips that ride on the user's belt and that have a locking/unlocking mechanism that allows removal from the user's belt.

And some pouches have changeable angles. The Dual-Purpose Fishing Rod Holster U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,578 with mechanical adjustments allows changes in the angles for access to the gear inside, and the Raine Inc. Pager Extension Strap allows the gear pouch to hang below the belt and to be tilted up, as a number of the other pouches that are attached with snap or hook-and-loop also allow the pouch to be tilted up.

However, neither the Dual Purpose Fishing Rod Holster nor the Extension Strap, or the many other pouches that allow tilting up, have the facility of allowing the pouch to be kept tightly against the belt and then quickly and immediately tilted up for use while on the belt, then quickly and immediately re-secured tightly. Quick access to a non-removable pouch that is not flopping, or in other ways insecure, is needed for use in critical monitoring situations by police and other security officers, who may be running and otherwise not have hands totally free.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention allows users to quickly and immediately access information contained in a piece of equipment that is held tightly and securely against the user's belt, without need for removal of either the pouch or the equipment. In a time of crisis, the equipment held inside this pouch in the present embodiment of the invention can be immediately accessed and decisions can be made, all while the user is moving if need be. Additionally, the generally expensive piece of equipment inside will be used and has no chance of being lost since it does not need to be removed from the pouch in order to be used.

In the present embodiment of this invention, a pouch of an appropriate size to hold a small electronic device (such as a radiation pager used by law enforcement and safety officials) is carried on a user's belt by a loop that attaches to the top of the pouch, through which the user's belt can be passed. Complementary pieces of hook and loop connectors are affixed to the reverse of the belt loop and to the back of the pouch, allowing the pouch to be securely, tightly, and removably attached to the belt loop, and when released form a hinge. An ‘audio hole’ at the bottom of the pouch allows an audio plug to be attached to a device within the pouch and also connected to the user's ear for notice of alert. When alerted, the user can immediately grab the pouch and pull forward and tilt up, thereby partially releasing the pouch from the security of tightness against the belt, but without disconnecting it from the belt. The user looks at the tilted-up pouch and is able to read the controls through the two vinyl windows in this embodiment. After access to the information, the user is able to quickly re-secure the pouch by dropping the pouch so that the hinge reverts to its original position and the pouch is reconnected to the hook-and-loop, thus keeping the device from flopping or dangling.

Additionally, the present invention embodiment further allows tight carriage of the equipment inside by elastic sides to the pouch.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 the current embodiment of the present invention shown from the front

FIG. 2 the current embodiment shown from the back

FIG. 3 the embodiment shown from the right side perspective

FIG. 4 the embodiment shown from the back pouch body released from the hook and loop attachment, hinged at back of pouch towards top of pouch

FIG. 5 the embodiment shown from the right side perspective body released from the hook and loop attachment, hinged at back of pouch towards top of pouch.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The embodiment of the present invention of the extendable pouch shows FIG. 1: pouch body A to contain the small device to be carried; vinyl windows D, for interior viewing of said small device; elastic C comprising the two sides of body pouch A; stitching E to adhere the vinyl windows to body pouch A; body top B of pouch body A; and hole Q for an audio plug of said small device contained in the embodiment; FIG. 2: snap F at body top B for closure or opening of pouch body A for admittance or removal of said small device to or from pouch body space P [FIG. 3]; and web G that loops to itself, sewn for strength with stitching T, to make tunnel space L for the user's belt to pass through to hold the invention against the user's body; FIG. 3: interior surface H of the pouch forming pouch body space P; web G; tunnel space L; web N attached to pouch body A; and connection space K, where hook J, sewn with stitching R onto web G, and loop I, sewn with stitching R-S onto web N, may meet and connect as hook-and-loop; FIG. 4 and FIG. 5: a surface of hook J, sewn with stitching R onto web G, and a surface of hook and loop I, sewn with stitching R-S onto web N; stitching S which adheres elastic C to pouch body A; stitching E which adheres vinyl windows D to pouch body A; web N and loop I, sewn with stitching R-S onto body pouch A, connects with hook J, sewn with stitching R onto belt loop web G, at connection space K for security as hook-and-loop, or separates at connection space K from hook J to allow tilting the pouch body A at hinge flexible section M of web G-N so a user can view said device control readings through vinyl windows D. 

1. A container for carrying an electronic device, comprising a. a pouch of a sufficient size to contain a small electronic device, such as device used by a law enforcement or safety official to detect radiation, said pouch having at least a front, and a back, b. said pouch having at least one opening, or open area covered by a transparent material such as clear vinyl, to allow a user to access at least one control or information display on a device contained within said pouch, without removing said device from the pouch, c. a loop of a sufficient size to accommodate a user's belt, having a first end and a second end, d. wherein the first end of the loop is flexibly connected to the pouch at a point at or near the top of the back of said pouch, with the second end of said loop substantially adjacent to the bottom of said pouch.
 2. the container of claim 1, further comprising, a. a means of releasable attachment, such as hook-and-loop material, affixed to the back of the pouch, b. wherein the loop has a front side and a back side, wherein said back side is substantially adjacent to a user's body when the user's belt is passed through said loop, c. a complementary means of releasable attachment affixed to the front side of the loop, d. wherein the means of releasable attachment and the complementary means of releasable attachment are adjacent and are releasably connected when they come in contact.
 3. A container for carrying an electronic device, comprising a. a pouch or enclosure of a sufficient size to contain a small electronic device, such as those used by law enforcement and safety officials for detecting radiation, said pocket having at least a front and a back, b. said pouch having at least one opening, or open area covered by a transparent material such as clear vinyl, on at least one of the sides or front in such a manner that a user may access at least one control or information display on a device contained within said pouch, without removing said device from the pocket, c. a means of attaching the pouch to a user's belt, wherein said means is flexibly connected to the pouch at a point at or near the top of the back of said pouch, wherein when the pouch is attached to a user's belt the user may grasp the bottom of said pouch and tilt it upwards in order to view, access or use a device contained in said pouch, d. a means of releasable attachment, such as hook-and-loop material, affixed to the back of said pouch, e. a complementary means of releasable attachment affixed to the front of the means of attachment, wherein the means of releasable attachment is substantially adjacent to said complementary means of releasable attachment and are releasably connected when in contact with each other.
 4. the container of claim 1 wherein the pouch has at least one opening of a sufficient size to accommodate an earpiece plug, wherein when an electronic device is placed within said pouch said opening is substantially adjacent to an earpiece plug receptor on said electronic device.
 5. the container of claim 3 wherein the pouch has at least one opening of a sufficient size to accommodate an earpiece plug, wherein when an electronic device is placed within said pouch said opening is substantially adjacent to an earpiece plug receptor on said electronic device.
 6. the container of claim 1 further comprising at least one side made of an elastic material whereby an electronic device may be tightly enclosed.
 7. the container of claim 3 further comprising at least one side made of an elastic material whereby an electronic device may be tightly enclosed.
 8. A container for carrying a radiation pager, comprising, a. a pouch made of a flexible material, such as leather, vinyl or cloth, of approximately five inches high, three inches wide and one inch deep, and being of a sufficient size to contain a radiation detection pager, such as those used by law enforcement and safety officials, said pocket having a front, a back, and two sides, b. at least one opening in the front of said pouch approximately one inch high and one-and-one-half inches wide whereby a user may view an information display on a device contained in said pocket c. a transparent material, such as clear vinyl affixed over the opening so that the information display on said the will not be affected by dust, debris or other contaminates, d. a belt loop having a first end and a second end, and a front side and a back side, e. wherein the first end of the belt loop is flexibly connected to the pouch at a point at or near the top of said pouch, wherein the second end of said belt loop is oriented towards the bottom of said pouch, in such a manner that when a user's belt is passed through the belt loop both the top of the pouch and the first end of the loop are positioned above the belt, to allow the user to lift the pouch in order to access or view a device contained in the pouch through the opening, f. a means of releasable attachment, such as hook-and-loop material, affixed to the back of said pouch, d. a complementary means of releasable attachment affixed to the front of the loop, wherein the means of releasable attachment is substantially adjacent to said complementary means of releasable attachment and is releasably attached when in contact. 